Nasir Dambatta is the President of the North West Progressives Forum. In this interview with newsmen, he explained why former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari should be the Senate President of the 10th National Assembly.
Excerpt:
Why are you rooting for Senator Abdul’Aziz Yari when the APC has reportedly already decided on Godswill Akpabio?
First, Yari is a candidate from the North West, with vast executive cum-legislative experience. Secondly, the North-West is on record to have provided the highest percentage of votes of over 30%, over and above every other geopolitical zone in the country.
Let us not forget that the president-elect scored a total of 8.79 million. That was how the North West emerged tops with 30.0% votes cast in the entire presidential elections. Even Tinubu’s immediate Constituency of South West came second with 25.9%.
The North Central came third, with 20.0%, while the North East came fourth with 13.5%. The South South came fifth with 9.10%, while the South East came a distant sixth with a mere 1.45%.
On the scale of electoral fortunes in that election, Yari’s Northwest beats all. That is why our North West Progressives Forum cautioned president-elect not to support the underperformed geopolitical zone in the presidential elections.
We still think Yari is the best among all the people in the race. Our position is not with prejudice to the stand of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the ruling party is also entitled to their opinion in a democracy, though massive protests against APC’s choice of Senate Presidency and Speakership are still raging in the media. I saw South West governors from Tinubu’s immediate Constituency, rejecting the APC stand. I saw Coalition of Northern Groups( CNG) warning against what they see as direct imposition on the National Assembly.
The story is no less different at the House of Reps too, as some newspapers alleged underground moves to deal blows on current leadership under Rt Hon Gbajabiamila. It is now very difficult to conclude that the APC’s final decision is popular enough.
On what premise do you think Yari is a comparatively better choice for the Senate President slot than say Akpabio or Orji Uzor-Kalu?
It is on record that Yari has been in the APC for many years, and his membership predates the merger that led to the formation of the APC itself. Let us not forget that Yari was a powerful force since the era of ANPP.
He was once a party secretary that handled many internal crises in Zamfara State when democratic space was seriously overheated.
He neutralized opposition and brought the party back to its feet. He calmed frayed nerves and made the party even stronger than it was before the internal wrangling. Please check your records and tell me when Senator Akpabio joined the APC; exactly how long? When did Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu join the APC? You see, in politics, you cannot overlook how much input a loyal party member has made into the success of the party. I dare say that Yari has spent hundreds of millions to support party activities and remains a one-man squad against hunger and poverty in Zamfara State, even after his exit as governor of the state.
He was very generous to the poor people of his immediate constituency, and that is why he won the Senatorial election fair and square. I doubt if there is a strong basis of comparison between Yari and the duo of Akpabio and Uzor-Kalu.
What facts do you have at hand to justify Yari’s suitability when he is just a first-time senator?
The issue of first-time Senator being a back- bencher has since been demystified by some senators in the outgoing Senate. Look at how a so-called first timer, Senator from Kaduna Central, moved several motions and initiated over 30 bills in less than two years. Look at how his bill on repeal of old banking laws became the first bill ever, to be signed into law by President Buhari.
There are many first time Senators who made giant strides in their legislative activism. Most importantly, Senator Tambuwal from Sokoto, for instance, is first-time Senator today, but he was once a Speaker in the House of Representatives. Again, our most-favored contestant —Abdul’Aziz Yari was a Honorable member of the House of Representatives and he is therefore, not new to legislative business.That’s why our group remains unperturbed by the infantile argument of first-timer and old-timer Senators.
Don’t you think having Yari as Senate President would amount to another same-faith executive and legislative arms combination?
Well, as a group, we are looking at what the constitution says as opposed to sentimental arguments of faith-based affinities. No where in the entire Nigerian Constitution has religious affinity been mentioned as a point of consideration for any elective office. No political or even appointive office in Nigeria has anything to do with which religion you profess. What is abundantly clear in the Constitution is what geopolitical zone you belong to. There is no mention of Muslim or Christian affinities as a basis for the electoral contest.
How do you think a Yari-led Senate would be different from what we have been seeing since 1999?
Our group forsees a dogged fighter for democratic and social justice. We forsee a more harmonious legislative and executive relationship with Yari as Senate President because he served both ways and acquired the requisite experience. In terms of screening of competent nominees of the incoming president, we forsee the Senate adept at the grilling of nominees and end of the era of bow-and-go screening of presidential nominees ( laughter).
